


Kiss a Ginger

by Jacqualine



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, One Shot, Shirbert, highschool, oneoff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28723008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacqualine/pseuds/Jacqualine
Summary: I saw Querencia retweeted someone earlier today saying it was International Kiss a Ginger Day, so here's what popped into my head.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 14
Kudos: 165





	Kiss a Ginger

Anne was standing by the cafeteria doors, waiting for Diana and Cole to join her. She could have went in alone but she could see Gilbert Blythe and his friends, sitting at the table right by the door. They weren't mean to her, they didn't pick on her or anyone, that she was aware of. She just hated how flustered she got when he would talk to her. And she couldn't remember the last time she had walked by his table without Gilbert calling out something as she passed by. Always to her directly, sometimes he including Diana or Cole but she always seemed to be the subject of interest to him. 

"When are you going to acknowledge that Gilbert Blythe has a crush on you?" Cole always asked. Anne would just shake her head and feel her face burn. She would never admit that she had a crush on Gilbert, and dreamed of him giving her a romantic Promposal or asking her out on a date. She would never say it out loud to anyone.

She spied them walking toward her from the history hallway and she waved at them. "Hurry up all the ponzos will be gone. Every Tuesday she got a ponzo from the cafeteria, declaring it the best food they served there. 

"Sorry, Mr. Phillips would not stop talking, even after the bell rang." Diana told her. "You should have just went in and got one."

"You know she wouldn't. Gilbert is sitting there waiting for her."

"What?! No he's not. He's just sitting there." She saw that he had his tray in front of him, a ponzo, carton of chocolate milk and a bag of Ruffles All Dressed chips on it, he was laughing at something one of the guys had said, he caught her looking and nodded at her, the smile on his face seemed to be just for her. Cole gave her a gentle shove and she started into the room. 

She nodded at the boys at the table, giving a half smile to Gilbert as she passed by, feeling her stomach flutter under the weight of his gaze.

"Hey Anne!" He finally called out, just as she thought she was going to make it. She slowed down, turning around to face him, walking backward. 

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear what today is?" He asked her. He had an innocent look on his face but something made her breath catch, her gut told her he was about to change everything. 

"Tuesday?" She asked him.

"Well...technically yes, but there is a much more important event being recognised today." His buddies were smiling and nodding, elbowing each other. Was this a joke? She racked her mind trying to think of something historical that was celebrated or commemorated on January 12. 

"I give up, what is today?" She hated that he knew something she didn't. Hated to admit it even more.

"It's International Kiss a Ginger Day." He answered, his dimples flashing. He looked pleased with himself but there was no hint of cruelty or teasing in his tone. Moody was patting him on the back, laughing. She felt someone put their hand on her back and shove her back toward Gilbert's table.

"This is your chance, Anne. Don't screw it up." Cole said quietly in her ear.

Don't screw it up? How was she supposed to not screw it up? Her heart was racing, did Cole think she could just flirt with him? She could never. Time seemed to slow down, while she tried to think of an answer to Gilbert, in reality it was probably only a microsecond but she thought through several comebacks, dismissing them all but one. Was she brave enough? 

She would be.

"Then I guess it's your lucky day." She finally said, the smile dropped from his face, and he studied her face, trying to determine if she was serious or not. She could practically feel the air between them crackling...and she finally realised Cole was right. Gilbert Blythe did have a crush on her. His buddies had started cheering him on. "Do it Gil...rock her world!" "Make us proud Blythe!" Moody was shoving Gilbert out of his chair, and toward Anne. The room went silent except for her beating heart, pounding in her ears. Was everyone watching or was she having a medical emergency? 

Gilbert was on his feet walking toward her, she noticed he had a nervous look in his eyes, eyes that never left hers. He ran a hand through his hair and licked his lips nervously as he approached her. She felt the urge to put a hand on her stomach but kept it hanging loose at her side, her thumb picking at the cuticle of its neighbouring finger, the only sign of her nervousness. 

"It's your last chance to back out, Carrots." He warned her as he stood in front of her, less than a foot separating them. She felt a flare of anger at his use of the hated nickname. Was he trying to make her mad? Then it occurred to her, this was like a game of chicken and he was trying to make her back out first, because he was just as nervous as she was. 

"Why would I do that?" She countered, stepping an inch closer to him.

"Because I am going to kiss you." He taunted, stressing the word am. 

"No you aren't." She smiled at him.

"I'm not?" He asked, a wave a relief and disappointment washed over his face. She shook her head at him in answer, before closing the gap between them and planting her lips on his. It wasn't much more than a peck, and it was over quickly but she pulled back proud of herself. 

She had won the game of chicken, and the bonus was she had got to feel his warm lips under hers for just a moment. She turned away to go back to Diana and Cole, only to feel herself pulled back around to face him, his hand on her wrist.

"Sorry Carrots, I'm the one who has to kiss you, you're the Ginger after all." He told her, the hand holding her wrist pulled her closer, so their bodies were flat against each other, his other hand came up to cup her cheek, stroking a thumb over her skin before he moved in and kissed her. This wasn't a chaste peck on the lips, this was a long lingering kiss. One were he explored her lips, nibbling at the corner of her mouth before sucking on her lower lip. She was suddenly aware of loud cheering, whoops and cat calls, filling her ears as he pulled his head from hers. 

She was upside down.

Well not really but at some point her had wrapped his arms around her and leaned her back into a romantic dip as he kissed her, as if they were in a rom-com. She hadn't even noticed that, or her own arms around his neck, fingers still playing in the hair at his nape. The whole cafeteria was cheering. Miss Stacey stood to one side, trying to calm the students down, but she offered Anne and Gilbert a quick smile and a wink of approval. Gilbert righted Anne and stepped away from her. 

"You were right, Anne." He told her.

"About what?" Her voice sounded thick to her own ears. 

"It was my lucky day." He flashed those dimples again as he headed back to his seat at the table as Moody and Charlie congratulated him. 

Anne stood in line, trying to keep the happy smile off her face, as Cole and Diana went over the whole thing over and over again, showing her the moment on their phones, since they had both recorded it. She could hardly believe it, when she looked at the video, she seemed so confident. She could remember the heat of his body against hers, the way his lips had felt, the way her toes had curled, but it all seemed like a dream, or a memory that happened to someone else. 

She was disappointed to find out they had sold out of ponzos but even that didn't ruin her mood. She was at their table, she was sneaking looks at Gilbert, between bites of her pizza slice, when she got a text.

Gilbert Blythe - Want to hang out after school?  
Anne - Sure. What's the plan?  
Gilbert Blythe - Spending the last 8 hrs of Kiss a Ginger day, kissing you.

That didn't sound half bad to her.


End file.
